Le second Abegweit

Marine Atlantic, its predecessor CN Marine, and pre-confederation Newfoundland coastal boats have a strong and proud history serving the people of Atlantic Canada through ferry terminals, passenger vessels and rail service.

In this week’s blog posting we highlight the second MV Abegweit which serviced the Prince Edward Island-New Brunswick crossing from 1982-1997. Named in honour of the vessel it replaced, the name “Abegweit” was taken from the Mi’kmaq word for Prince Edward Island.

The second MV Abegweit was a larger, more spacious and modern vessel that is predecessor. At over 122 metres in length, it could transport significantly more vehicles and passengers than previously possible. A strong ice-class vessel, it was the first in Canada to allow roll through loading and unloading of railway cars, and was only one of five ships in the world at the time that installed inflatable escape shutes as its emergency evacuation system; a normal system in today’s transportation industry. With modern amenities and passenger lounges, the vessel provided a reliable and comfortable travel experience across the Northumberland Strait.